Arab women seeking help or attention in any way is not a common occurrence in the Middle East, but seeking drug addiction treatment – that’s a huge step given the cultural constraints put upon women. One drug abuse treatment center in Jeddah reports that about 200 women addicted to drugs sought treatment in one year, ranging in age between 18 and 43 years old. The women came from Turkey, Pakistan, Eritrea, Egypt, Yemen, and Palestine.

It’s hard to track numbers in terms of actual drug abuse and drug addiction in the area, especially among women. Reports say that though there is a lower percentage of women living with addiction in these areas than men, but a larger percentage of men seek drug addiction treatment than women. The Department of Girls’ Education in Jeddah released a study saying that about 20 percent of female addicts are secondary school students.

The center in Jeddah hopes that more women will seek help as they increase the number ads aired on satellite television.

Why Do Women Avoid Drug Addiction Treatment?

The reluctance to seek drug and alcohol addiction help in a formal drug rehab is not unique to Arab women. American women, too, are less likely to enroll in drug rehab than are men. Why? Here are a couple of commonly reported reasons women cite for avoiding drug treatment:

· Stigma. Women feel that there is greater harm done to them by the stigma of drug addiction and don’t like the idea of embracing the tag ‘drug addict’ by enrolling in treatment. Many continue to live without the help they need for years in an attempt to treat themselves.

· Childcare. Many women in America are the primary caregivers for their children or elderly family members. They don’t feel that they would have support for their children if they were to enroll in a treatment program, nor do they think that the benefits of treatment outweigh upsetting the kids by leaving for an extended period.

· Fear. Women who are fighting for custody of their children believe that their drug addiction will be used against them in court and that they will lose custody of their children if they admit to the problem by seeking treatment. Sadly, the damage done to the children as a result of continuing to live with a mother addicted to drugs is far worse than a brief separation to undergo treatment.

· Money. Women who work or have spent years working to build up their education and create solid career for themselves do not feel that they can put that on hold while they go to drug rehab. Unfortunately, many often end up doing irreparable damage to their careers and to their reputation as a result of their behavior and undependability while under the influence of drugs and alcohol.

If you would like to seek treatment for addiction, The Orchid can help. We treat women who are prepared to walk away from addiction and create a new life for themselves without drugs and alcohol. Call now.

Painkiller addiction is a problem that swept the nation over the past decade and continues to rise in significance every year. For men and women, teenagers and the elderly, prescription drug addiction is a huge problem, resulting in thousands of deaths due to overdose or related accident every year. Women, however, are one of the groups at highest risk to develop prescription painkiller addiction. Why is this the case and how can we treat this issue?

Why Women are at High Risk for Prescription Drug Addiction

Statistically, women are twice as likely to develop an addiction to prescription drugs like sedatives and painkillers because they are two to three times more likely to be prescribed these drugs than are men. Why are women prescribed highly addictive drugs like Valium, Xanax and Klonopin more often than men? Because they are more likely to seek medical help for emotional issues than are men.

Acute emotional issues related to a specific, traumatic event (i.e., death of a family member, loss of a relationship, loss of a job, sexual abuse) commonly result in an addictive prescription and women are more likely than men to seek that out. Chronic emotional issues that result in depression are another problem that results in addictive prescriptions and an issue that women seek help for more often than do men.

Prescription Drug Addiction is Deadly

For women and men, prescription drug addiction is a deadly disease. If you or someone you love is physically and psychologically dependent upon a prescription painkiller or sedative, it is imperative that you seek a doctor’s assistance. Attempting to quit “cold turkey” without stepping down slowly over time without medical supervision can be just as deadly as continuing to take the drug.

Overdose is a constant concern for those taking prescription medications, even if they have been addicted for years. Accidents related to overuse and abuse of prescription sedatives and painkillers is one of the most common reasons for emergency room visits. More deadly than any other single addictive drug, addiction to prescription painkillers and sedatives requires immediate and full service treatment at a prescription drug rehab.

Women and Prescription Drug Rehab

Even though women are more likely to go to the doctor when they are struggling with emotional issues, they are less likely than men to seek drug rehab or treatment once they realize that they are dangerously dependent on a drug of addiction. This means that though the numbers of men and women seeking medical treatment at a drug rehab facility for prescription drug addiction are about the same, there are a large number of women out in the world trying desperately to function with a painkiller or sedative addiction unnecessarily.

If you or a someone you love is living with OxyContin addiction, Percocet addiction, hydrocodone addiction, oxycodone addiction or addiction to sedatives or a combination of drugs, get help today. Call The Orchid to find a prescription drug rehab designed specifically to assist women living with addiction.

Addiction affects both men and women, and there are predictable elements to addiction that go across both genders.  However, men are simply not the same as women.  Yes, both are human beings.  But some differences are undeniable and and have endured over the ages.  How can the addiction be separated from the experience of being a woman?  The answer is - it can’t.

Feminine Elements of Addiction

Women often come about their drug addiction in ways that differ from men.  Women who have survived sexual abuse, domestic abuse, or mental illness (such as depression or anxiety) sometimes turn to drugs to soothe their emotional pain.  In fact, drug or alcohol use is high among sexual abuse survivors.  Anywhere from 50%-70% of women who have endured sexual abuse also use drugs.

The personal invasion and shame of sexual trauma is numbed by drugs and alcohol.  A woman who’s had both sexual and drug abuse devastate her life needs nurturing and the restoration of her feminine strength and identity.  Social roles, ethnicity, and culture play big parts in a woman’s life.  A woman’s role in her family might differ greatly from that of a man in the same culture or society.  A woman’s function in a spiritual community many have different meaning than a man in the same group.  All of these elements must be carefully considered when treating a woman with addiction.

Women’s Health and Addiction

Women’s health and addiction are closely related.  Unfortunately, women take a heavier hit on their health than men do in several ways.  One of the clearest signs of serious health problems for a woman is when her menstruation stops.  Heavy drug and alcohol abuse will certainly do this.  When it’s that bad, a woman’s entire reproductive system and functioning will become impaired.

Women with addictions also get a “grab bag” of health problems; long-term side effects from processing large amounts of toxic substances.  Breast cancer risk goes up in a direction relationship to how much a woman drinks.  Breast cancer is the most common cancer for women.  Alcoholic women put themselves at the top of the risk chart, probably without realizing it. (more…)